Goldbug was once a shiftless drifter named Bumblebee. Survival on the streets of Polyhex meant learning to become a sneak, a pickpocket, and blackmailer, and at these things Bumblebee excelled. When he joined Optimus Prime's brutal Autobot forces, his bravery put him on the fast track to power, and when Drench was "removed" by Prime, Bumblebee was rebuilt as Goldbug and took his place. Though he holds a high position in the Autobot hierarchy, he is extremely paranoid that he is not appreciated by his peers and will be summarily replaced.